Supreme Court disposes over 20-year-old PIL for conservation, restoration of Red Fort

A file image of Red Fort in New Delhi
| Photo Credit: ANI

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (March 25, 2025) disposed of an over-two-decade-old PIL seeking the restoration and conservation of the 17th-century Mughal-era monument, Red Fort, saying that its expert panel has complied with most of the directions.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh disposed of the plea filed by petitioner Rajeev Sethi in 2003, claiming that the conservation of the monument was not done as per the international standard.

The top court noted that on August 6, 2004, it constituted a nine-member panel comprising the Director General of Archeological Survey of India.

“Since then, 20 years have passed and we have no reason to believe that the expert committee has not complied with the directions of the court… if anything has not been done or if anything has been left out, the petitioner has the liberty to move the court with a fresh petition,” the bench said.

The top court said that in August 2004, the court not only constituted an expert panel but also issued comprehensive directions for the conservation of the monument.

The bench told advocate Bina Madhavan, appearing for Sethi that more than 20 years have passed since the court first entertained its plea and most of the directions have been complied with, there is no point in keeping the petition pending for so long.

In 2004, while constituting a nine-member panel, the top court had asked it to ensure that a comprehensive conservation management plan, in accordance with internationally accepted principles, was drawn up and take appropriate steps for the conservation and restoration of the monument.

In November 2003, the top court appointed senior advocate Harish Salve as amicus curiae for assisting the court in the matter and to inspect the renovation and restoration work by the Archaeological Survey of India at the monument.

The top court had also asked Salve to verify the allegations of the petitioner that the restoration and conservation work done at Red Fort was not up to international norms.

It had asked Salve to visit the Red Fort along with the then Solicitor General Kirit Raval and petitioner’s advocate Kapil Sibal and furnish the report.